Shoelace clasp



Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Application July 10,

2 Claims.

The present invention relates particularly to a clasp designed to prevent the loosening of a shoe lace after it has once been drawn into position and tied.

It is one object of the invention to provide a clasp of the character indicated that may be readily mounted upon a shoe lace when it is threaded into place in a shoe, and that when so mounted becomes a unitary part of the shoe and lace assembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a clasp of the character indicated that may be readily applied to any method of lacing and that will not interfere with the tying of the lace in the customary manner.

It is also an object of the invention toprovide a clasp of the character indicated that will be inconspicuous when in use, that will not disfigure the shoe upon which it is placed, that will be economical to manufacture, simple in form and. construction, quickly and easily applied and operated, strong, durable, and highly eflicient in its practical application.

The drawing is a perspective view of a portion of a shoe and its lace with a clasp embodying my invention in an operative position thereon.

In the particular embodiment of the invention herein disclosed I show at I a piece of sheet metal having a triangular conformation.

On each corner of the base of this part I is formed an eye or bearing as indicated at 2-2, these bearings having a common axis paralleling the said base.

The third corner of this triangular element has an extension formed thereon that is turned upwardly and backwardly upon itself to form an eye 3 disposed upon the same side of the plate as the bearings 2-2 and with its axis paralleling the axis of the said bearings.

At 4 is a resilient wire having its two ends 5-5 journaled in the bearings 22 as shown. The intermediate portion of the wire is formed with portions E-6 disposed at right angles to said ends, intermediate portions 'I'I disposed to substantially parallel the sides of the plate I when the clasp is closed, and a central portion angularly disposed relative to the portions I'I and converging toward plate I when the clasp is closed as 1935, Serial No. 30,619

shown at 88 with aconnecting part 9 paralleling the axes of bearings 2 and eye 3.

The wire member 4 is so proportioned and mounted that it will swing freely in the bearings 2-2, and when closed will snap down into contact with plate I under the curved face III of eye 3, the portions 'I-I overlying the plate I and lying in a plane substantially paralleling the plane of said Plate.

In mounting the device the shoe lace I I is threaded through the eyelets I2 of the shoe I3 in the usual manner but the lace is run through the eye 3 of the device as at M before, it is threaded through the last eyelet I2, thereby making the said device a unitary part of the shoe and holding it in place ready for use at all times.

When the shoe is laced the knot is tied over the plate I as indicated in dotted lines at I5, the wire member then being in the position shown in dotted lines at I6. When the knot is tied it is only necessary to push the wire member 4 down and snap it 7 into position as described. When this is done the portions 'I-I of the wire member clamp the lace portions on either side of the knot down upon the plate I and effectually prevent the knot from becoming loose.

It is to be understood, of course, that while I have herein shown and described but one specific embodiment of the invention, changes in form, construction, and method of assembly and operation may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe lace clasp of the character indicated comprising, a plate having an eye formed thereon and having a resilient wire member journaled thereon at points remote from said eye and. movable into locking engagement with said eye and clamping relationship with said plate.

'2. A shoe lace clasp of the character indicated comprising, a triangular plate having an eye formed on one point thereof and having a resilient wire clamping member journaled on the other two points thereof and movable into locking engagement with said eye and to overlie said plate and to cooperate therewith to form a clamp.

WILBER H. MCILHENNY. 

